Spain

Visited June 25, 2011. Located in the Castille-La Mancha region of Spain.

Souvenir shop, Puerto Lápice, Spain

Attraction Checklist:

Venta del Quijote Inn

Windmills

Venta del Quijote Inn, Puerto Lápice, Spain

Tribute to Don Quixote, Puerto Lápice, Spain

Located in La Mancha, this village has the famous inn, Venta del Quijote, where it was believed that Don Quixote– the titular character of Miguel de Cervantes’ classic, Don Quixote— mistook the inn for a castle and was dubbed a “knight.” We stopped here to have sandwiches for lunch on our way back to Madrid.

After lunch, we took pictures of our surroundings and visited the souvenir shop conveniently located across the street from the inn.

Windmills in Puerto Lápice, Spain

When we were back on the road, we passed the white windmills that were turning with the breeze high in the mountains. It brings to mind the scene from the novel when Don Quixote was “fighting” the windmills.

Córdoba, Andalucía

Mihrab in the Mezquita (mosque) portion of La Catedral de Córdoba, Spain

Attraction Checklist:

Roman bridge across the Guadalquivir River

La Catedral (Mezquita) de Córdoba

Calleja de Las Flores

Jewish Quarter

La Sinagoga (Synagogue)

A few hours after midday we arrived in Córdoba—a city that was founded by the Romans in 169 B.C. and became the capital of Baetica or Lower Hispania in 152 B.C. Later, it would fall under the hands of the Visigoths in the 5th century A.D. and then the Moors in 711. Under Abd ar-Rahman I of the Umayyad dynasty, Córdoba was the capital during 756-1031—its most prosperous and rich period rivaling the wealth and power of Constantinople and Baghdad. Today, the old city retains many architectural wonders from the Romans, Moors, Jews, and Christians.

Roman bridge entering Córdoba, Spain

We crossed a Roman bridge from Emperor Augustus’ era across the Guadalquivir River to enter the old city. At the end of the bridge, there is the Bridge’s Gate (also known as the Arch of Triumph) built by King Philip II 1572. Continue reading →

In the morning, we went on the optional tour to Carmona, where along the way we visited an olive farm. At the olive farm, we went to an exhibit on olive harvesting and olive oil manufacturing. The local farmer explained how he used the tools to harvest the olives and what was considered ripe olives for picking.

Then, we were allowed to taste the olive oil in a scoop of chocolate ice cream sprinkled with a little salt; to my surprise, it tasted delicious! For cooking, the farmer recommended that we use light olive oil due to the less fat content present in it. Continue reading →

June 22, 2011

Monument to Christopher Columbus, Seville, Spain

After a long day’s drive, we arrived in Seville—the capital and largest city of Andalucía and province of Seville— along the Guadalquivir River. Our bus took us through the city past the bull ring and ornately decorated buildings and into the heart of the city. Seville was founded by the Romans who called it “Hispalis” and later taken over by the Moors who called it “Isbilya.” As a result, the city contains evidence of several cultures as noted by the architecture. In the past, Seville was an important port of departure and commercial when the New World was discovered in 1492 and through the 16th century. At this high point of Spanish history, many people from Flanders, France, Italy, and other European countries would pass through this port and further influence the culture, especially during the Renaissance period. During the 17th century, renowned painters, such as Diego Velazquez, Bartolome Esteban, and Juan de Valdes Leal, were born in Seville and whose masterpieces would be inspirational to the rest of the world. Continue reading →

Attraction Checklist:

Located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula of Spain is Gibraltar that is now held by the United Kingdom. In ancient times, Rock of Gibraltar was considered one of the Pillars of Hercules by the Greeks in the B.C. era. It was not disturbed until Tariq Ibn Zeyad conquered it and gave its name—Jebel Tariq (“Mount of Tariq”)—in 711. A military fortress that was built and held by the Moors from 1160 until it was conquered by Juan Alonso de Guzmán, 1st Duke of Medina Sidonia, in 1462. Throughout its history, Gibraltar was held by the Spanish, French, and eventually the British via the Treaty of Utrecht on July 13, 1713. Continue reading →

Málaga

Attraction Checklist:

Alcazaba Teatro Romano

Gibralfaro Castle/El Castillo de Gibralfaro

Fundación Picasso/MuseoCasa Natal de Málaga

La Malagueta Beach

Roman Amphitheater (Alcazaba Teatro Romano), Málaga

The following day (June 21) we visited Málaga, the hometown of Pablo Picasso with several museums, parks, and centers dedicated to him. The city is currently developing and hoping to develop a metropolitan transportation system. In ancient times, the Romans populated this area. Today, the city of Málaga was built upon these Roman ruins; a reconstruction of the amphitheater (Alcazaba Teatro Romano) can be seen in the center of the city. Arabic and European influences can be seen throughout the city, such as the Baroque-style churches and cathedrals. Continue reading →

After saying our farewells to the lovely La Alhambra in Granada, we began our picturesque tour of La Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun)—famous for its beach resorts and delicious seafood. The plan was that we would stay over at the Melía Costa del Sol resort in Torremolinos for 3 nights (June 20-22, 2011). During these 3 nights, we had a few options: to tour Mijas, a nearby fishing village; and Málaga, or to enjoy the beach at Torremolinos.

Apartments in Torremolinos, Costa del Sol, Andalucia

Torremolinos is a resort that was the first touristic site open to visitors. Many Europeans buy villas and apartments as their vacation homes. In the past, this resort was a fishing village. The upper cliff of the city is the newer part of the community, while the lower part is the resort.

Origin of the Name:
“Torre” refers to “towers” or “watchtowers”
“Molinos” refers to “windmills,” which represents the industry

After checking in and refreshing ourselves at the resort, we took a side trip to Mijas in the afternoon. Continue reading →

Andalucía

The region of Andalucía was invaded by the Moors in 711. The name was derived from the old name, al-Andalus, after a group of Vandals– a barbarian tribe– that conquered the Strait of Gibraltar into North Africa. Today, it is a prosperous region known for its unique culture, artisan crafts, and cuisine: gazpacho (cold tomato soup in vinegar), jamones (ham), pescasito frito (fried fish), and sherry.

Purullena-Guadix, Andalucía

Visited on June 19, 2011. Located in the Granada Province of Andalucía.

From the Comunidad Valencia, we embarked on the longest road trip through the region of Andalucía. Our tour stopped briefly at a nearby rest area’s cafeteria for lunch: sandwiches, soups, and drinks. Then, we were taken to the villages of Purullena and Guadix located in the northern Sierra Nevada and known for their artisan crafts (e.g. the blue-white glazed potteries and dishes) and white-washed cave dwellings built into the rocky terrain. Named as the “Barrio Troglodyte” (Troglodyte Neighborhood), cave dwellings have been used since the Moorish days to escape from the intense heat of summer. Like any Spanish home, the dwellings are outfitted with bedrooms, kitchens, living spaces complete with electricity, internet, and television; and lined with marble floors. We were lucky to be invited into one of these homes to take a look around. The ceilings of the home are a little low but the interior is spacious and quite comfortable especially since it was about 38 degrees Celsius when we arrived. According to our guide, these cave dwellings can be rented today as apartments for visitors. After a brief tour of the home, we returned to the bus towards Granada.